Davenport University

What Davenport University does

Davenport University is a private, non-profit institution of higher education headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, founded in 1866 and positioned as the largest private university in Michigan. It operates seven physical campuses across the state (Grand Rapids, Warren, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Midland, Traverse City) plus a Global Online Campus, and delivers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs across five colleges: Business, Health Professions, Technology, Arts & Sciences, and Urban Education. The university serves a diverse student body spanning high school graduates, transfer students, graduate students, adult learners, military personnel, international students, community college transfers, and corporate partners, with programs offered through 7-week and 15-week semesters in online, hybrid, and in-person modalities.

The core product portfolio comprises associate through doctoral degree programs, professional certificate programs, customized corporate training through the Institute for Professional Excellence (IPEx), and specialized support services such as Casa Latina. Notable technology investments include the Anatomage Table for 3D human anatomy visualization, Med Cart EHR Workstations, and Simulation Medication Dispensers deployed under the Health and Science Innovations for Workforce Preparedness initiative at the Midland campus, funded by $210,000 in foundation grants. The CCMA certification program reports a 97% national exam pass rate versus a 79% national average, and accounting graduates report nearly 100% job placement with IACBE special accreditation. Healthcare workforce programs (BSN, CCMA) are a strategic emphasis, targeting 6,000-12,000 projected annual RN/MA openings in Michigan through 2030 across 65 of 83 counties facing primary-care deficits.

Revenue is generated primarily through tuition and fees from degree-seeking students on a recurring basis, supplemented by professional services revenue from IPEx corporate training (including a generative AI training program launched with Business Connect in December 2025). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; the university uses scholarship and corporate-subsidy mechanisms, including up to $8,000/year for Rockford employees, up to $6,500/year for spouses and dependents, and a 20% HIMSS-member discount, as customer-acquisition and retention tools. The university holds CCNE nursing accreditation, IACBE accounting accreditation, NCAA Division II and GLIAC membership, and was the first Michigan university to receive the Michigan Performance Excellence Award. Governance rests with a Board of Trustees; President Richard J. Pappas retired in June 2026 after 17 years and was succeeded by interim president Anthony Anderson.

Name

Davenport University

Legal name

Davenport University

Website

https://davenport.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1866

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Davenport University is a private, non-profit institution in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and the largest private university in Michigan, operating seven physical campuses and an online division that together offer more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs across business, health professions, technology, arts and sciences, and urban education to traditional students, adult learners, military personnel, and corporate partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities (EDAHAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fully Online Universities (Online-First, Degree-Granting) (EDAHALAA)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate degree programs
• Corporate workforce training
• Healthcare certification programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate degree programs, certificate programs, and professional development courses offered at multiple campus locations and online
2. Corporate Training (IPEx): Customized training programs for organizations delivered through the Institute for Professional Excellence (IPEx), including generative AI training and professional development certificates

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Davenport University is a private, non-profit higher education institution that delivers undergraduate and graduate degree programs, professional certificates, and customized corporate training through six Michigan campuses and a Global Campus (Online+). It serves diverse student populations through flexible online, in-person, and hybrid formats across five academic colleges: Business, Health Professions, Technology, Arts & Sciences, and Urban Education. The Institute for Professional Excellence (IPEx) provides workforce development and tailored training programs for employer partners.

Product overview

Davenport University is a private university in Grand Rapids, Michigan, offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs and services. The institution operates as a multi-campus university (seven physical campuses across Michigan plus online) providing over 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs across five academic colleges: Business, Health Professions, Technology, Arts & Sciences, and Urban Education. The university's product portfolio is structured around: (1) Core academic degree programs at associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels; (2) Professional certification programs through the Institute for Professional Excellence (IPEx), including healthcare certifications like CCMA with 97% pass rates; (3) Customized corporate training services including AI training programs; (4) Student success tools like DegreePlan for educational planning; and (5) Specialized support services including Casa Latina for Hispanic/Latino students. Programs are delivered through flexible formats including 7-week and 15-week semesters, online, hybrid, and in-person modalities. Notable partnerships with employers like Rockford and organizations like HIMSS provide workforce-aligned pathways and scholarship opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Institute for Professional Excellence (IPEx): Professional education and corporate training division offering customized AI training, certificate programs, and workforce development courses for organizations.
• Casa Latina
• Global Campus

Products and services

• Degree Programs (Undergraduate & Graduate) Career-focused associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs across Business, Health Professions, Technology, Arts & Sciences, and Urban Education, delivered online, in-person, or hybrid.
• Certificate Programs Professional and academic certificate programs in healthcare, business, technology, and workforce development fields offered through Davenport University and IPEx.
• Institute for Professional Excellence (IPEx) Corporate education and professional training division delivering customized workforce development programs, generative AI training, and professional development certificates for employer organizations.
• Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting Undergraduate accounting degree program with special IACBE accreditation preparing students for accounting, auditing, and financial management careers, with nearly 100% job placement rate.
• Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting Fraud Investigation Specialized undergraduate program combining accounting and computer security skills for careers in fraud examination, forensic accounting, and compliance.
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) CCNE-accredited pre-licensure nursing degree program preparing students for RN certification, with an employment guarantee provided to graduates.
• Master of Science in Nursing Graduate-level nursing program including nurse educator concentration, preparing nurses for advanced practice, education, and leadership roles, with CCNE accreditation.
• Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) Program Healthcare certification program through IPEx using a hybrid model combining 15-week online coursework with in-person hands-on lab experiences, achieving a 97% national certification exam pass rate versus 79% national average.
• Health Information Management Programs Bachelor's and master's degree programs in health information management with streamlined transfer pathways through partnerships with Southern University at New Orleans, Leeward Community College, and HIMSS.
• Customized AI Training Program Tailored generative AI training delivered by IPEx for organizations, including instructor-led sessions, customized content, reference guides, and cross-functional training covering leadership, operations, marketing, sales, and AI security.
• Fast-Track BSN Program with Northwestern Michigan College Concurrent-enrollment fast-track BSN pathway where students complete two years at Northwestern Michigan College and a third year at Davenport University, enabled by 2022 Michigan legislation to expand nursing education.
• Health and Science Innovations for Workforce Preparedness Initiative Technology-enhanced healthcare education initiative at the Midland campus integrating Anatomage Table (3D anatomy), Med Cart EHR Workstation (electronic health records simulation), and Simulation Medication Dispenser for hands-on clinical training.
• Corporate Education Scholarship Program Employer partnership program providing tuition scholarships (up to $8,000/year) and professional development discounts to employees and their family members through signed corporate agreements.
• Casa Latina Specialized Hispanic and Latino student services program offering tailored degree programs, community support, and cultural resources for Latinx students at Davenport University.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% CCMA certification pass rate vs 79% national average
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• RockfordflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Workforce development partnership providing scholarship opportunities for Rockford employees (up to $8,000/year) and their family members (up to $6,500/year), plus 20% discount on professional development certificates through IPEx
• Business ConnectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 December 2025IPEx partnered with Business Connect to deliver customized generative AI training program including 8 instructor-led sessions totaling 15 hours, 118 hours of tailored content preparation, and 6 customized PDF reference guides
• Northwestern Michigan College (NMC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2023Fast-track BSN program partnership under 2022 Michigan legislation; students enrolled for two years at NMC and a third year at Davenport, providing faster and less expensive path to BSN. First 12 graduates celebrated in August 2024
• Southern University at New OrleanscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth information management partnership providing streamlined transfer pathways for students to pursue bachelor's or master's degrees in health information management
• Leeward Community College in HonolulucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth information management partnership with Leeward Community College providing transfer pathways for students to pursue bachelor's or master's degrees
• Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHIMSS partnership offering 20% scholarship to HIMSS members and their dependents on all tuition, and streamlined pathways for health information management degrees
• AmwaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing assistance for employees to reskill and upskill through Davenport's Institute for Professional Excellence (IPEx)
• GentexcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing assistance for employees to reskill and upskill through Davenport's Institute for Professional Excellence (IPEx)

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Calvin University: Private Christian university in Grand Rapids, Michigan with comparable undergraduate and graduate programs across business, health, and technology, directly competing for the same regional student base.
• Aquinas College: Private Catholic college in Grand Rapids, Michigan with comparable size, career-focused programs, and overlapping service area in West Michigan.
• Hope College: Private liberal arts college in Holland, Michigan with similar size, four-year residential model, and broad academic offerings competing for West Michigan students.
• Cornerstone University: Private Christian university in Grand Rapids, Michigan with undergraduate, graduate, and online programs competing head-to-head in the same metro.
• Spring Arbor University: Private Christian university in Michigan with strong online and adult-learner programs, comparable in size and regional private positioning.

Regional players

• Western Michigan University: Major Michigan public research university in Kalamazoo, one of Davenport's physical campus locations, competing for the same mid-Michigan student pool.
• Grand Valley State University: Large public Michigan university headquartered in Allendale/Grand Rapids, directly overlapping in West Michigan student market and broad program offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Western Governors University: Large national nonprofit online university with competency-based programs and strong adult-learner focus, a primary competitor for Davenport's online Global Campus.
• Purdue University Global: Online-focused university targeting adult and career-motivated learners, competing with Davenport's online and corporate training programs.
• Southern New Hampshire University: Large nonprofit university with one of the largest online enrollments in the U.S., directly competing with Davenport for adult-learner and online degree market share.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/davenportu
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCaxSQhSboBlHxBkPJOpCvTQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/22232049238
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/davenport-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/davenportuniversity

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Davenport University